Supply chain management extends from the acquisition of raw materials, through the manufacturing and distribution process, and typically ends at the point of consumption. In many instances, supply chain management is a disjointed process in which a particular manufacturer or distributor tracks portions of the supply chain, but may not incorporate individually serialized product records or pass the existing records to the next portion of the supply chain. In particular, oversight groups and end consumers may not have access to, or an opportunity to contribute to, the supply chain data.
Shortcomings of the supply chain management are particularly apparent when food, medical products, or other consumer goods are recalled due to health or safety issues. The end consumer does not have an easy way to monitor the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) websites for recall information or to determine if the product they are purchasing or consuming has been recalled. Because the supply chain data is often not complete or accessible, the proportion of products which are successfully recalled can be low.